CONTAINER

RECIPIENT

English Abstract

There is provided a box-like container (1) for the storing and transporting of a food product, comprising a first half container (2) having a peripheral wall (20) with an edge region (21) and a bottom surface (22), and a second half container (3) having a peripheral wall (30) with an edge region (31) and a bottom surface (32), the container (1) is characterized in that said first and second half container (2,3) are mutually connectable via coupling of said first half (2) to said second half (3) at the edge regions (21,31) thereof, said edge regions (21,31) having a shape which it is complementary one to the other, and in that it comprises removable locking means (4) formed onto said edge regions ( 21,31 ).

French Abstract

La présente invention se rapporte à un récipient (1) semblable à une boîte, destiné au stockage et au transport d'un produit alimentaire, ledit récipient comprenant une première moitié de récipient (2) qui comporte une paroi périphérique (20) ayant une partie bord (21) et une surface inférieure (22), ainsi qu'une seconde moitié de récipient (3) qui comporte une paroi périphérique (30) ayant une partie bord (31) et une surface inférieure (32), le récipient (1) étant caractérisé en ce que lesdites première et seconde moitiés de récipient (2, 3) peuvent être mutuellement reliées par l'intermédiaire du couplage de ladite première moitié (2) à ladite seconde moitié (3) au niveau de leurs parties bords (21, 31), lesdites parties bords (21, 31) ayant des complémentaires entre elles, ledit récipient étant également caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend un moyen de verrouillage amovible (4) formé sur lesdites parties bords (21, 31).

Claims

CLAIMS
1. A box-like container (1) for the storing and transporting of a food
product,
comprising a first half container (2) having a peripheral wall (20) with an
edge region
(21) and a bottom surface (22), and a second half container (3) having a
peripheral wall
(30) with an edge region (31) and a bottom surface (32),
characterized in that said first and second half container (2,3) are mutually
connectable via coupling of said first half (2) to said second half (3) at the
edge regions
(21,31) thereof, said edge regions (21,31) having a shape which it is
complementary
one to the other, and in that it comprises removable locking means (4) formed
onto
said edge regions ( 21,31 ) .
2. A box-like container (1) for the storing and transporting of a food product
according to the preceding claim, wherein said locking means (4) comprises at
least
one protruding region (33) formed on said edge region (31) of said second half
(3), and
an insertion region (23) which is complementary to said protruding region
(33), said
insertion region ( 23) being formed on said edge region (21) of said first
half (3).
3. A box-like container (1) for the storing and transporting of a food product
according to the preceding claim, wherein said insertion region comprises a
slot (23).
4. A box-like container (1) for the storing and transporting of a food product
according to claim 2, wherein said insertion region comprises a "U" shaped
region (23).
5. A box-like container (1) for the storing and transporting of a food product
according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said edge regions (21,31) of
said
first and second half (2,3) of the container have each a wavy shape and which
is
complementary one to the other.
6. A box-like container (1) for the storing and transporting of a food product
according to any of the preceding claims, wherein when the container (1) is in
the
closed condition, said bottom parts (22,32) are arranged horizontal and
parallel with
respect to the surface where the container (1) rests.
7. A box-like container (1) for the storing and transporting of a food product
according to any of the preceding claims, wherein when the container (1) is in
the
closed condition, said edge regions (21,31) rest one onto the other in a
perfectly
adhering manner and creating a closing of the container (1) without
discontinuity.
8. A box-like container (1) for the storing and transporting of a food product
according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said first and second half
container
(2,3) have a substantially cylindrical shape with a circular base.
9. A box-like container (1) for the storing and transporting of a food product
according to the preceding claim, wherein said outer walls (20,30) of said
first and
second half container (2,3) have a substantially frustoconical shape with
circular base.

Description

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"CONTAINER"
DESCRIPTION
The present invention relates to a box type container, and more specifically,
to a
box type container for the transporting and the subsequent consumption of a
food
product.
State of the Art
Up to now, several kinds of box-type containers and which are suitable for the
transporting of a food product therein contained from a selling point and the
subsequent consumption are already known.
For example, in the large distribution of food to consumers such as the "fast
foods" or the like, typically the food product is sold in biodegradable
material box
containers such as cardboard or the like, such types of containers being known
with
the name of "Clamshells". This type of "clamshell" container must have certain
features
of stackability, resistance to temperature, resistance to food substances
coming from
the food product arranged inside thereof, etc.
Typically, a "clamshell" container must contain the food product in the shape
of
hot sandwich, must be rigid enough to be stacked with other similar types of
box-like
containers, and must have the possibility of being opened in two halves in
order to
have the food product consumed therein by way of tray or dish. Moreover, this
type of
container must be reclosable in case the user wants to preserve the remaining
food
product for its subsequent consumption.
Another feature which is required to such "clamshell" type containers for the
selling of hot food products is to have a good thermal insulation, in such a
way as to
allow the food inside thereof to remain hot as long as possible, to the
advantage of the
user.
Up to now, all types of known "clamshell" containers on the market try to
satisfy
these requirements in a more or less satisfactory manner.
The present invention aims to provide a "clamshell" container which has
improved features of thermal insulation, rigidity, and functionality compared
to this type
of containers of the state of the art.
Brief description of the invention
Therefore, the present invention provides an improved "clamshell" type
container for a food product, which has a structure with improved rigidity.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an improved
"clamshell" container for a food product of which has a better insulation.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an
improved "clamshell" type container for a food product and which has a high
versatility.
1

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Thus, the present invention provides an improved "clamshell" container for a
food product substantially according to the appended claims.
Description of the invention
A detailed description of two preferred embodiments of the container of the
present invention will now be given, given by way of a non-limiting example,
with
reference to the accompanying figures, wherein:
Figure 1 is a perspective exploded view of the container of the present
invention;
Figure 2 is a front perspective view of the container of the present invention
in
the closed condition;
Figure 3 is an elevational view from one side of the container of the present
invention in the closed condition;
Figure 4 is a front elevational view of the container of the present invention
in
the closed condition;
Figure 5 is a cross sectional view of the container of the present invention
in the
closed condition;
Figure 6 is an exploded view of a second embodiment of the container of the
present invention; and
Figure 7 is a perspective view from above and from one side of the container
of
Figure 6 in the closed condition.
With reference now to Figures 1 and 2, there is illustrated the container for
the
storing and transporting of a food product of the present invention.
According to the present invention and with particular reference to Figure 1,
there is provided a box-like container 1 which is constituted by a first half
container 2
having a peripheral wall 20 with an edge region 21 and a bottom surface 22,
and a
second half container 3 having a peripheral wall 30 with an edge region 31 and
a
bottom surface 32.
With particular reference to Figure 2, there is shown the container 1 in the
closed condition. As can be seen in the figure, the first half container 2 and
the second
half container 3 are mutually connected by means of the coupling of said first
half 2
with said second half 3 onto their edge regions 21 and 31, respectively. It
should be
noted here that said edge regions 21 and 31 have a complementary shape one to
another.
Moreover, removable locking means for said two respective halves 2 and 3 are
formed at the edge region 21, said locking means being constituted by a pair
of slots
23 for receiving the respective regions 33 of the projecting edge regions 31
of said
second half 3.
2

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With reference now to Figures 3 and 4, it can be noted in them the particular
arrangement of the box-like container 1 in the closed condition. As evident in
the
figures, the edge regions 21 and 31 of said first and second half 2 and 3 are
respectively "wave" shaped and are complementary one to the other.
Furthermore, as is evident in the figures when the container 1 is in the
closed
condition, the bottom 23 and 33 parts have an horizontal arrangement, and are
parallel
to the surface where the container 1 rests.
With particular reference now to Figure 5, it can be noted how when the box-
like
container 1 it is in the closed condition, the shape of the edge regions 21
and 311s
such that one rests onto the other in a perfectly contacting way, thereby
creating a
closure of the container 1 without discontinuity.
Furthermore, and with reference to the preceding figures, according to the
present invention it is evident that the first half 2 and second half 3 have a
substantially
cylindrical shape with a circular base in such a way that when the container 1
it is
closed it shows a substantially cylindrical shape. Additionally, as it appears
form the
figures according to the present invention the perimeter walls 20 and 30 of
the
respective first and second half 2 and 3 show a substantially frustoconical
shape
having a circular base.
With reference now to Figures 6 and 7, it is illustrated therein an
alternative
embodiment of the box-like container 1 of the present invention. For the sake
of clarity,
same parts have same numerals, and the detailed description thereof will be
hereafter
omitted since it has already been given.
As can be understood from the figures, according to this second embodiment,
the locking means 4 are constituted by a region 23 which has a "U" shape, and
it is
formed at the edge portion 21 of the wall 20 of the first half of the
container 2. The
region 23 is adapted to accommodate completely the protruding part 33 of the
second
half of the container 3, thus realizing the mutual locking of the two parts 2
and 3,
respectively.
The container 1 of the present invention has a number of advantages.
According to a first advantageous aspect of the present invention, the
container
1 has a structure with improved rigidity compared to the state of the art
containers of
this type (clamshells). In fact, the shaping of the walls 20 and 30 allows to
provide a
container 1 which, when it is in the closed condition, its walls result in a
substantially
vertical arrangement, thus greatly improving the structural strength of the
container 1.
According to a second advantageous aspect of the present invention, the
container 1 when it is in the closed condition has a high insulation. This
thanks to the
shape and arrangement of the walls 20 and 30, and the shape of the container 1
itself.
3

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According to a third advantageous aspect of the present invention, the
container
1 has a high versatility. Indeed, the fact of presenting two halves 2 and 3
which are
separable one from the other, allows a more versatile distribution of its
contents (food)
and a greater easy of use for the user when compared with the state of the art
containers of this type (clamshell).
4

Representative Drawing